Mission Statement

As part of the federal government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Eye Institute’s mission is to “conduct and support research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to blinding eye diseases, visual disorders, mechanisms of visual function, preservation of sight, and the special health problems and requirements of the blind.”

Healthy Aging® Month

While vision loss is not a normal part of aging, older adults are at higher risk for certain eye diseases and conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, dry eye, and low vision. Eye diseases often have no early symptoms, but can be detected during a comprehensive dilated eye exam.

More than 40 million Americans are currently age 65 or older, and this number is expected to grow to more than 88 million by 2050. By that same year, the number of Americans with age-related eye diseases is expected to double, and the number of people living with low vision is projected to triple. Early detection and treatment are key to saving sight.

Join the National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP) this Healthy Aging® Month to help raise awareness about eye health among older adults and how they can protect their vision.

Are you a health or community professional who works with adults age 50 and over? Use the See Well for a Lifetime Toolkit to help educate people in your community about taking care of their eyes. For additional information about eye health in older adults, download this fact sheet.